The Burrow
May 25, 2026
For many, pets aren’t just something we own but are instead cherished members of our family. But just how far do we go for our pets?
Pet insurance comparison experts at Compare the Market have conducted a survey across Australia, Canada and the USA to reveal how far pet parents will go to show their love. Across the three countries, approximately 75% of respondents have owned a pet in their lifetime.
The survey collected responses from past or current pet owners on a variety of pet-related topics to see how they interact with, or care for, their pets, and identifying how gender, age and geographic location may be factors in these results.
In general, women are more likely to call their pets their ‘fur-baby’. American women are the most likely to use the term, according to our survey, with 60.7% admitting to using it at least once. Australian women are much more on the fence, with only 53.7% using ‘fur-baby’, compared to 46.3% never using it.
On the other hand, men are less likely to use the term, but 40% of American men still admit to referring to their pet as a ‘fur-baby’. Canadian men are close behind at 38.6%; meanwhile, only around a third (30.3%) of Australian men with a pet have used the term.
Men vs Women: Using the term ‘fur-baby’
| Have you used the term ‘fur-baby’? | Australian Men | Australian Women | Canadian Men | Canadian Women | American Men | American Women |
| Yes | 30.3% | 53.7% | 38.6% | 60.3% | 40.0% | 60.7% |
| No | 69.7% | 46.3% | 61.4% | 39.7% | 60.0% | 39.3% |
Our survey looked at how important pets are to their owners in comparison to the owner’s human family. Canadians have the strongest bonds with their pets, with 64% of respondents stating they consider their pet as important, or more important, than their children or other loved ones. The USA comes in just below at 63%, and Australia sits in last place at 60%, with the remaining 40% stating that their loved ones are a higher priority than their pet.
How important are pets compared to loved ones?
| How much does your pet mean to you? | Australia | Canada | USA |
| They’re more important to me than my children/loved ones | 12.56% | 14.30% | 14.10% |
| They’re equally as important as my children/loved ones | 47.34% | 49.60% | 49.34% |
| My loved ones take priority over my pet | 40.10% | 36.10% | 36.56% |
In Australia, pets seem to fall lower on the priority list, partly driven by the older generations’ preference for their children and other loved ones.
Young adults (18 to 24), however, are more likely to consider their pets more important (20.5%), while those aged 24 to 34 have the highest percentage of believing their pets to be equally important (53.4%). Meanwhile, around 58% of adults aged 65 and over believe their loved ones are a higher priority than their pet.
How important are pets in Australia?
| How important is your pet to you? | 18-24 years | 25-34 years | 35-44 years | 45-54 years | 55-64 years | 65+ years |
| My pet means more to me than my own children or other loved ones | 20.5% | 14.9% | 14.9% | 11.8% | 14.2% | 4.5% |
| My pet is equally as important as my children or other loved ones | 51.8% | 53.4% | 48.9% | 51.2% | 45.1% | 37.5% |
| My loved ones would take priority over my pet | 27.7% | 31.8% | 36.2% | 37.0% | 40.7% | 58.0% |
The age of a pet owner can affect how important they consider their pet. Over a quarter (27.8%) of young adults aged 18 to 24 believe their pet means more to them than their loved ones, compared to older generations (aged 65+) which sit at 6.7%. However, fewer of the same young adults (38.9%) believe their pet is equally as important to their loved ones, compared to the same older generation (45%).
Younger generations continue to see pets as a higher priority on average, perhaps due to being less likely to have settled down and had children compared to older generations.
How important are pets in Canada?
| How important is your pet to you? | 18-24 years | 25-34 years | 35-44 years | 45-54 years | 55-64 years | 65+ years |
| My pet means more to me than my own children or other loved ones | 27.8% | 14.2% | 16.4% | 16.3% | 10.5% | 6.7% |
| My pet is equally as important as my children or other loved ones | 38.9% | 61.5% | 49.1% | 47.7% | 47.4% | 45.0% |
| My loved ones would take priority over my pet | 33.3% | 24.3% | 34.6% | 35.9% | 42.1% | 48.3% |
According to Compare the Market’s survey, on average Americans consider their pets to be equally as important as their own family, no matter their age, with the exception of over 65s, who consider their loved ones a higher priority.
Unlike with Canada and Australia, 18- to-24-year-old Americans aren’t the age group that says their pets are a higher priority than their loved ones (11.5%). Instead, they are overtaken by 25- to-34-year-olds (22.2%), 35- to-44-year-olds (15.6%) and 45- to-54-year-olds (16%).
How important are pets in the USA?
| How important is your pet to you? | 18-24 years | 25-34 years | 35-44 years | 45-54 years | 55-64 years | 65+ years |
| My pet means more to me than my own children or other loved ones | 11.5% | 22.2% | 15.6% | 16.0% | 11.7% | 5.8% |
| My pet is equally as important as my children or other loved ones | 64.1% | 45.1% | 53.3% | 50.5% | 49.2% | 41.3% |
| My loved ones would take priority over my pet | 24.4% | 32.7% | 31.2% | 33.5% | 39.1% | 52.9% |
For all three countries surveyed, approximately one-third of respondents with pets pay for pet insurance, with the majority choosing to go without. Americans came in first at 32.2%. This could be due to higher costs for care in the USA increasing the need for pet insurance, or due to the trend of Americans considering pets a valuable family member that they wish to care for.
Who has pet insurance?
| Country | Pays for pet insurance | Does not pay for pet insurance |
| Australia | 31.9% | 68.1% |
| Canada | 27.8% | 72.2% |
| USA | 32.2% | 67.9% |
The cost of a pet can vary depending on factors such as the species, age, breed and general needs.
According to our survey, the USA spends a whopping AU$577.64 (USD$413.40) a month on their pets on average, or AUD$6,931.68 a year (USD$4,960.80). The USA pays the highest costs for almost every expense, with pet insurance costing almost double (AUD$98.09 or USD$70.90) compared to Canada (AUD$50.30 or USD$35.98) and Australia (AUD$49.30 or USD$35.28).
Canada has the lowest average cost for their pet (AUD$376.08 or USD$269.11 a month), paying on average less for boarding, kennels and pet sitting; dog walking and daycare; toys and accessories; medication; grooming, and food and treats.
Average monthly pet spending per country
| Monthly pet spending (AUD) | Australia | Canada | USA |
| Dog walking/daycare | $17.40 | $11.75 | $21.51 |
| Training and behaviour services | $21.90 | $23.40 | $23.89 |
| Toys/accessories | $26.40 | $25.86 | $42.34 |
| Boarding/kennels/pet sitting | $30.50 | $17.88 | $28.78 |
| Medication | $33.20 | $30.87 | $99.21 |
| Grooming | $37.50 | $26.68 | $50.02 |
| Pet insurance | $49.30 | $50.30 | $98.09 |
| Vet Care | $64.00 | $89.24 | $108.99 |
| Food/treats | $101.80 | $99.98 | $104.79 |
| Total | $382.00 | $376.08 | $577.64 |
Food and treats, and vet care, are the two highest monthly expenses for each country. Medication and pet insurance are also particularly expensive in the USA. High vet bills and medication costs could be the result of pet owners not having pet insurance, or their policy not covering the required treatments.
Dog walking/daycare is the cheapest expense, but it’s also a less common as not everyone requires or wishes to pay for this service, as opposed to food or medication, which are necessities.
Canadians prefer to keep their pets close, with 44% having their pet sleep in their bedroom (34% specifying the pet sleeps in their bed, the highest of all three countries).Australian pets appear to prefer to sleep in their own bed (31.6%) over sleeping in bed with their owner (24.7%), while Canada has the highest percentage of pets preferring to free roam (20.1%).
Where pets sleep the most
| Where pets sleep | Australia | Canada | USA |
| In their own bed (inside) | 31.6% | 24.1% | 26.1% |
| In my bed with me | 24.7% | 34.4% | 31.6% |
| Free roaming indoors (sleeps wherever they want) | 11.8% | 20.1% | 18.4% |
| In my bedroom but not on the bed | 8.8% | 10.3% | 8.7% |
| Outside (porch, patio, yard) | 8.1% | 0.9% | 3.9% |
| In a crate/kennel indoors | 7.2% | 5.7% | 5.7% |
| In a crate/kennel outdoors | 4.1% | 0.9% | 2% |
| With another household member | 1.9% | 3.3% | 2.6% |
| In the garage | 1.8% | 0.3% | 1% |
Continuing the earlier trend, Australians are the least likely to celebrate their pet’s birthday, with nearly half (45.1%) not celebrating their pet’s birthday.
On the other hand, the USA proves once again where their loyalty lies with 47.6% giving their pet a toy or gift to celebrate the occasion. Canada sits neatly in-between, with 5.1% of respondents admitting to hosting a party for their pet, and 34.4% giving them a cake or special treat.
How pet parents celebrate their pet’s birthday
| How do you celebrate? | Australia | Canada | USA |
| Doesn’t celebrate their pet’s birthday | 45.1% | 35.8% | 33.4% |
| Giving them toys/gifts | 37.3% | 44.3% | 47.6% |
| Giving them cake/special treats | 30.5% | 34.4% | 34.7% |
| Taking them on a special outing | 8.8% | 9.0% | 12.7% |
| Hosting a party | 3.9% | 5.1% | 7.9% |
Note: respondents were able to choose more than one answer so the percentages may not add up to 100%
According to our research, Australia has the least involved ‘pet parents’ of the three surveyed countries, consistently scoring lower than the USA and Canada on how involved they are with their pets.
However, trend data appears to show a shift in attitudes towards pets becoming a higher priority and truer part of the family. Younger generations seem more inclined to celebrate a pet’s birthday with only 27.7% of 18- to 24-year-olds, and 22.3% of 25- to 34-year-olds not celebrating, compared to 75.6% of Australians aged 65+.
Over half (51%) of 18- to 24-year-olds admitted to buying their pet a toy or gift for their birthday, a sharp contrast to over 65s at 16%, showing a growing interest in treating their pet as a part of the family.
How age affects how you celebrate a pet’s birthday in Australia
| How do you celebrate your pet’s birthday? | 18-24 years | 25-34 years | 35-44 years | 45-54 years | 55-64 years | 65+ years |
| Hosting a party | 8.4% | 6.1% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| Giving them a cake or special treats | 42.2% | 39.2% | 39.7% | 32.3% | 24.8% | 12.5% |
| Giving them a toy or gift | 50.6% | 56.1% | 41.8% | 39.4% | 28.3% | 15.9% |
| Taking them on a special outing | 16.9% | 12.2% | 12.1% | 9.4% | 4.4% | 1.7% |
| I don’t celebrate my pet’s birthday | 27.7% | 22.3% | 34.0% | 42.5% | 56.6% | 75.6% |
Note: respondents were able to choose more than one answer so the percentages may not add up to 100%.
In Canada, celebrating your pet’s birthday is more common than not, according to Compare the Market’s research survey. Unlike Australia and the USA, Canada shows a more balanced approach to celebrating across different generations.
Pet parents aged 25- to 44-years-old are the most likely to give their pet a cake or special treat to celebrate (47.3% and 40.3%, respectively), while 18- to 24-year-olds are around five times more likely to host a birthday party for their pet (18.5%) compared to those aged 45 and above (2.6%, 3.5% and 4.2% respectively).
Those aged 65 and over are the least likely to celebrate at all (52.5% not celebrating), which trends steadily downwards the younger the pet parent is.
How age affects how you celebrate a pet’s birthday in Canada
| How do you celebrate your pet’s birthday? | 18-24 years | 25-34 years | 35-44 years | 45-54 years | 55-64 years | 65+ years |
| Hosting a party | 18.5% | 4.7% | 5% | 2.6% | 3.5% | 4.2% |
| Giving them a cake or special treats | 35.2% | 47.3% | 40.3% | 26.1% | 25.4% | 29.2% |
| Giving them a toy or gift | 55.6% | 54.1% | 47.8% | 41.8% | 37.7% | 31.7% |
| Taking them on a special outing | 13% | 12.8% | 11.3% | 7.2% | 5.3% | 5% |
| I don’t celebrate my pet’s birthday | 16.7% | 21.6% | 30.8% | 41.8% | 44.7% | 52.5% |
Note: respondents were able to choose more than one answer so the percentages may not add up to 100%.
Pet parents from the USA are the most doting towards their pets on their birthday, with more than three-quarters of young adults (18-24) celebrating the event (87.2%). Those aged 25 to 34 beat out the rest of the age groups when it comes to buying pets a cake or special treat (50%), and are also the most likely to take them out on a special outing (21%).
How age affects how you celebrate a pet’s birthday in the USA
| How do you celebrate your pet’s birthday? | 18-24 years | 25-34 years | 35-44 years | 45-54 years | 55-64 years | 65+ years |
| Hosting a party | 17.9% | 16% | 10% | 6.7% | 0.8% | 0% |
| Giving them a cake or special treats | 46.2% | 50% | 40% | 38.8% | 20.3% | 15.7% |
| Giving them a toy or gift | 60.3% | 56.2% | 50% | 51.1% | 50% | 25.6% |
| Taking them on a special outing | 16.7% | 21% | 17.8% | 11.7% | 6.3% | 3.5% |
| I don’t celebrate my pet’s birthday | 12.8% | 19.1% | 25% | 29.3% | 44.5% | 61% |
Note: respondents were able to choose more than one answer so the percentages may not add up to 100%.
There’s no one right way to raise and care for your pet, but many pets will need to visit the vet during their lifetime.
Chief Executive of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, notes, “Pets can be an important part of our family, and like any other loved one, you want them to be happy and healthy.
“Vet bills are one of the biggest expenses for our pets, and worse, you can’t always predict when they’ll hit.
“Pet insurance may cover accidental injuries or illnesses that you can’t plan for. Top-of-the-range pet insurance policies may also cover routine care like vaccinations, check-ups, deworming and microchipping as an optional extra.”
Compare the Market commissioned PureProfile to survey 1,020 Australians, 1,013 Canadians and 1,104 American adults in April 2026.
Survey respondents answered questions in their local currency. Outlying figures were filtered out, and prices were converted into AUD and USD on 23/04/2026 using Google’s currency converter tool.
You can find the 2023 version of this data here: https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/pet-insurance/features/is-your-pet-a-fur-baby-2023-archive/